


Hunting Season

by aredblush, dreamerjules (jelaine3)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alive Claudia Stilinski, Gen or Pre-Slash, Laura is alive and a great big sister, Lydia & Stiles Friendship, M/M, Peter is an asshole, Wild Hunt, derek & stiles friendship, it is heading in that direction though, just not now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 13:06:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15219797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aredblush/pseuds/aredblush, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jelaine3/pseuds/dreamerjules
Summary: The dark storm clouds were hovering over just one section of his city. It was a large enough area. Large enough that Stiles would be stretched thin keeping the definitely not natural lightning from doing too much damage.Derek muttered a curse as he burned his hand putting the casserole into the over. He hoped that was the only thing that went wrong with dinner. Everything else had been shitty for him today. He didn't want to extend that to his uncles.





	Hunting Season

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Sterek Reverse Bang 2018.](https://sterekreversebang.tumblr.com/) Artwork by the amazing [aredblush](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aredblush/pseuds/aredblush). I only hope my words do justice to the beautiful art.
> 
> Go [ see ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15214616) for yourself and give her all the love.

The dark storm clouds were hovering over just one section of his city. It was a large enough area. Large enough that Stiles would be stretched thin keeping the definitely not natural lightning from doing too much damage.

The clouds were getting darker and Stiles could see the lightning forming and crackling deep in the center of the roiling mass. He could feel the power and the magic emanating from it and it scared him in a way few things did. It was wild magic, untamed, and malevolent.

"Lydia, where're Scott and Allison? I can't handle this by myself."

"Well, you're going to have to. Scott's dealing with that pack of asshole alphas and Allison's dealing with a couple of disappearance cases."

"Missing people can wait. I don't know how much longer I can hold this storm back. Lyds, it's not natural and it's not nice."

"I know, sweetie, but I also know you can handle this. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for."

Stiles snorted as he redirected energy towards a lightning bolt breaking through the clouds and racing towards the ground.

"Keep sweet talking me and I'll worry I'm dying or something. Come on, just get Allison over here. Missing people will still be missing in an hour or so."

"Stiles, they're not just missing. They disappeared into thin air. At the same time that storm that you're dealing with showed up."

"So, what you're telling me is there is a fucking connection between a wild magic electrical storm and people blipping out of existence. Fucking fantastic."

Stiles reached the top of one of the taller buildings. He needed to make the storm dissipate sooner rather than later.

"Stiles, are you about to do something stupid?" Lydia's voice, strained with worry, rang out across their connection.

"Define stupid."

Stiles held his hands out towards the lightning rod on this building. He needed to manipulate the energy of the rod to simultaneously attract and repel the energy of the storm. It wouldn't be the safest thing to do, but it should get rid of the storm by directing all of its energy back towards itself.

"Stiles!"

He concentrated on drawing all the energy he could into the lightning rod – his, the storm's, any and all surrounding energy – supercharging it. When the energy reached the point where it felt like his skin would crack and shatter, he redirected it to the rod and directly into the heart of the storm.

The concussive explosive force of the storm turning on itself knocked Stiles back and almost off the roof of the building.

He smiled as he heard Lydia yelling for him, at him, whatever. A nap sounded like a good idea right now.

*~*~*~

Derek muttered a curse as he burned his hand putting the casserole into the over. He hoped that was the only thing that went wrong with dinner. Everything else had been shitty for him today. He didn't want to extend that to his uncles.

Shitty days were happening more frequently, and Derek felt he'd happily scream his lungs out if he didn't get out this backwater town in the middle of nowhere. San Fransokyo was less than 50 miles from here, but it might as well have been a different planet.

He set the timer for dinner and returned to the kitchen table to deal with the accounting books for the farm. Alan had a way with plants and specialized in ones that had medicinal properties while Peter handled marketing. Alan said Peter could sell ice to Eskimos. That didn't make any sense to Derek, but Peter always looked pleased and ended up getting all handsy with Alan which was something Derek could happily live the rest of his life without seeing.

The farm was doing well financially. In fact, they could hire someone to do what Derek did and still make an impressive profit.

He didn't understand why his uncles insisted on forcing him to be part of the business. He didn't have Alan's gift with plants and while he could be charming, it exhausted him. It felt like lying.

The books finished, he checked on the casserole and pulled the salad out of the fridge. He gave it a quick toss and set the table for four.  
"Are we having a dinner guest?"

Derek jumped a little. He hadn't heard Alan come in. He should have though. The ballgame playing on the radio wasn't that loud. Derek wasn't even invested in either team. It was just background noise.

"Derek, do you plan on getting dinner out of the oven before it burns? What's the matter with you?"

Peter barely looked at the kitchen as he snapped at Derek. The kitchen wasn't his domain.

"Shit!"

"Language," his uncles said in unison.

Derek rolled his eyes. Where did they think he'd learned it? The casserole looked a little extra crunchy on top, but still edible. He got everything on the table and paused when he saw four place settings. That shouldn't be there.

He ignored it. Peter carried the conversation as usual.

*~*~*~

Stiles was surprised to find himself in a clearing in a forest.

Confused might be a more accurate word choice. He'd never been surrounded by so many trees at once in his whole life. There were parks in San Fransokyo, but this was wilder and untamed. Maybe it had something to do with that stupid fucking not!storm storm.

He needed to find his way out of here. He needed to go home.

Of course, that wouldn't happen if he didn't start moving. All he could see above him were leaves and branches. He had an easier time finding constellations with all the light pollution back home.

Where the hell was he anyway?

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and focused on his connection to the nanobots in his body. Immediately he could see a path of silver-gray light running along the forest floor. He guessed this was what the ley lines looked like around here.

It wasn't long before he found himself outside of a nice, old-fashioned two-story house. There were lights on, but he couldn't hear anything or see anyone.

While debating with himself if he should knock and ask for help or keep following the light, he noticed two things happening at the same time. An incredibly beautiful young man about his age exited the house and the silver-gray light vanished.

"Shit."

That caught the young man's attention.

"Is somebody out there?" he called quietly.

Stiles slowly stepped out of the trees and into the porch light.

"I'm Stiles and I'm lost."

"What the hell is a Stiles?"

"I'm a Stiles. It's a nickname, alright? Can you tell me how to get to San Fransokyo? My bots must be damaged because I can't talk to anyone from home."

The young man closed the door behind him as he stepped out onto the porch. Stiles could easily see the guy was trying not to make any noise.

"We're about 50 miles east of the eastern border. How did you get here?"

The guy was looking at Stiles like he was the prize at the bottom of a cereal box. The one it took twelve boxes to find and you were ready to give up and frustrated, but you didn't know that word and on the verge of ugly crying because of the tummy ache and the look on Mom's face when she saw the cereal and the empty boxes taking over her kitchen.

"I…. That's a good question. I was fighting this storm over the city and the next thing I knew I was in the woods."

"You were fighting a storm?" The guy leaned back away from Stiles, his face clearing saying he should never have stepped outside the house, much less spoken to magically appearing strangers.

"It's not as weird as it sounds," defended Stiles.

The guy's eyebrows climbed up his forehead, almost reaching his hairline.

"Stiles!"

His mom's voice echoed faintly around him. He couldn't tell where it was coming from.

"Mom?"

"What? Keep your voice down. I don't need you dragging my uncles out here. Peter really doesn't like strangers on his land."

Now it was Stiles' turn to look incredulous.

"You didn't hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Stiles thought he really might cry. He was tired. He was lost. He was confused. He just wanted to go home, dammit.

And maybe get Eyebrow Guy's name.

"Stiles, honey, you need to wake up now. Can you that for Mom and Dad? We need you to open those beautiful eyes, my darling boy."

There was a regular beeping sound that Stiles could barely hear just under the sound of this mother's voice. 

"Hey, Mischief! If you don't wake your ass up right now, I'm taking your whole Reese's Cups ration for the month."

"Like hell."

"Who was that?"

"Who was who?" Stiles could feel a gentle tug around his belly button.

"That woman talking about Reese's Cups."

"You heard her?"

The unfairly eloquent eyebrows called Stiles a dumbass.

"That's my sister, Laura."

And suddenly the tug was no longer gentle, and the beeping became a roar. Stiles barely noticed the amazed look on Eyebrow Guy's face before everything went black.

*~*~*~

Stiles opened his eyes, marveling at the number of people crowded around his bed. Mom, Dad, Laura, Lydia, Scott, Allison. He started to wonder where Danny was, but.

What was he doing in a bed? Why the fuck did he hurt all over? Stupid freaking bots.

"Well, your bots would be working if you hadn't tried to fry them and yourself. You just need to rest," said Claudia.

"But they worked just fine in the forest."

"How hard did you hit your head, Mischief? You've been here, hooked up to monitors for the last six hours."

"It didn't feel like a dream," Stiles said without a whole lot of confidence.

"It may not have been. Visions aren't entirely unheard of among Protectors and if anyone is going to do something out of the ordinary, it's you."

Lydia squeezed the hand she was holding when she finished speaking. She'd been the first to get to him after the storm dissipated. She never wanted to see Stiles that still or quiet ever again.

*~*~*~

Derek stood staring at the empty space where the young man he had been talking to had been. He wasn't a hallucination or a very vivid dream. He could smell the guy for one thing – sugar, peanuts, and something vaguely metallic that Derek thought he'd smelled before and often, but he couldn't think of where or when.

He waited a few minutes before going back inside. It was possible the guy might reappear just as suddenly as he'd disappeared. It had been nice seeing someone his own age and even nicer to talk to someone other than Peter and Alan, even if the conversation made no sense.

He tidied the kitchen, making sure the coffee was ready to be started in the morning. He jumped when he turned and saw his Uncle Alan in the doorway.

"I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted a glass of water," said Alan as he went to the cupboard.

"No problem, I just didn't realize you were still up. Good night, Uncle Alan."

It looked like Alan was going to let him go when he stopped Derek.

"I want you to know that Peter and I appreciate all you do around here. This can't be much of a life for you."

"I'm fine, Uncle Alan."

"You're a young man. You should be better than fine."

Derek could fee anger rising inside him and he pushed it down. He was fine, dammit, and he actually did enjoy taking care of his uncles, but it wasn't what he wanted to be doing for the rest of his life and Alan being all sympathetic really didn't make things better. If he understood so goddamn much, why was he helping Peter keep him here?

"Maybe, but I'll settle for not actively miserable and I'm not." Derek looked around to see if Peter was somewhere close. "I'm not going to lie and say this is everything I've ever wanted because it isn't. But it actually is a good life and I'm grateful for everything you and Peter have done, I just want to see what else is out there. What else I can do."

Derek stopped himself and took a deep breath. Nothing would be accomplished by going off on Alan. And he didn't want to upset Peter. He knew Peter's problem with letting Derek out of his sight was because of the accident. He was the only blood family Peter had left.

"It may not seem like it, but I am trying to talk Peter into giving you more freedom. Just be patient a little while longer."

"Not a problem, Uncle Alan. Is it okay if I," said Derek as he gestured up the stairs.

"Of course. Just remember that nothing stays the same forever."

Derek wasn't entirely sure he believed that.

*~*~*~

Stiles and Lydia split up the research. He found everything he could about supernatural storms. She looked into the disappearances which was hampered by the fact that the longer the people were missing, the less their friends, family, and co-workers remembered them.

Director Yukimura checked in with them from time to time. Stiles' vision was unusual enough that she wanted to keep a close eye on him. She, Claudia, Melissa, and Noah had gone over it with him so many times, Stiles was almost to the point where he started reciting everything that happened to him if he saw more than one of them together. He'd even described Eyebrow Guy in such excruciating detail, Claudia teased him about his possibly imaginary boyfriend as moms do.

Stiles made a note of something he'd found and checked it against a couple of other references for confirmation.

"The Wild Hunt!"

"Son of a bitch! How'd you get there before me? I just got it."

Lydia's smile was self-satisfied. She did love winning and Stiles was a worthy opponent.

"It was only a split second. Deal with it." She could be generous in victory. Sort of.

"Okay. We've identified it. Did you see anything about how to defeat it because I didn't."

"Nothing definitive. I hate to say it, but that stunt you pulled was effective. The storm did break up. Maybe if you, Scott, and Allison worked together on it, it would get rid of it all together with the added bonus of not knocking you on your ass."

"Gee, that almost sounds exactly like what I was asking for that night. Will wonders never cease."

"Stiles." 

The memory of Stiles unconscious on that rooftop was one of the scariest sights in her life. She berated herself for not being able to prevent it even though she logically knew there was nothing she could have done at the time.

He went over to her and gave her a quick hug.

"I'm fine and despite the bitchy comment, I know we couldn't have done anything differently."

"You could have tried not to turn yourself into a capacitor."

"I couldn't let that thing play havoc with my city and it really was the only option and you even admitted it worked."

"Just because it worked doesn't mean I'm not mad at you for putting yourself at risk."

"And yet your suggesting I do the exact same thing with Scott and Allison."

"It will lessen the risk. Spaced out over more people, there will be less risk and more power to direct at the storm."

Stiles took a deep breath, fully intending to continue. Knowing what he did now about the storm, he didn't want to put Scott and Allison at risk, but he was forced to acknowledge it was more than he could handle himself and he trusted Scott and Allison knew what they were doing.

"Okay. Fine. You're right as always. Besides, maybe it won't come back this way. Maybe I scared it off for good."

"Nice thought, but I don't think it works that way. Most of the accounts I found had the wild hunt just passing through an area with most people having the good sense to stay inside out of harm's way. The communities that tried to protect themselves with wards and rituals or whatever they thought would work seemed to piss the hunt off and it would stay until there was nothing left of the community."

Stiles went still.

"Did I make things worse?"

"No. Of course not."

"But you said."

"Anecdotal accounts from hundreds of years ago. Just because some story says something doesn't mean that's the only way it could have happened."

"You realize you're arguing against your research, right?"

"That's why we use more than one source. One thing I am certain of is that the wild hunt described in my research is different from your storm and that I'm sure it's the same thing. Living things grow and adapt and evolve. What worked a hundred years ago isn't as effective now."

"What if it doesn't show back up?"

"Then I guess it's someone else's problem."

"Can we summon it?"

Lydia smiled brightly. "Yes, we can."

*~*~*~

Stiles stumbled into his bedroom. They had worked for a couple of hours with Scott and Allison researching what they needed to do to summon the wild hunt and strategizing. They all needed to rest and build up their reserves for the coming fight. He didn't want to admit it, but he was still fatigued from his first encounter with the wild hunt storm and the research and strategy sessions had been just exhausting in its own way.

He thought about eyebrow guy as he crawled under the covers. Was he even a real person? If he was, why did he show up in Stiles' vision? If that was what it was. Logically it made sense, but he'd never had one before. Why would he have one now?

Falling asleep as he thought about the man in the forest, Stiles wondered if he'd see him again.

*~*~*~

Derek hadn't told his uncles about the guy. One, because Peter did have very strong opinions about strange people on his land. Two, he wasn't sure his uncles would believe him. Granted, Derek didn't have a history of making things up and getting in trouble, but the guy just disappeared into thin air. Three, and most importantly, he didn't want to share the stranger with anyone.

He'd felt a connection, a sense of rightness that he hadn't known he'd been missing. He didn't know how to explain it to himself, never mind his uncles.

Falling asleep as he thought about the man in his backyard, Derek wondered if he'd see him again.

*~*~*~

The forest wasn't the same as before. It was close, Stiles was sure of that, but it was different as well. He thought this might be more dream than vision.

He started walking without using his bots for directions. If it was a dream, he'd get where he was going eventually. If it was a vision, he'd probably get there faster.  
It didn't take him long to reach a clearing in the forest. There was a huge tree stump in the middle of the clearing. Stiles went up to it, putting his hand on it. His bots started going crazy. He could feel them buzzing just under the surface of his skin. Not literally buzzing, but he could feel them where normally he couldn't. They were just a part of him, like being able to see or smell or hear.

He could feel a similar excitement from the stump. Like the bots and the stump had been looking for each other and here they were, together at last.

"Hey."

Stiles turned to the voice and his bots calmed down again. 

"Hey yourself. It's good to see you again. I'm Stiles Stilinski by the way."

"Derek Hale. It's good to see you again too. Where did you go the other night?"

Hale. There was something familiar about that name, but Stiles couldn't quite place it. Not yet anyway.

"Funny thing. I was apparently having a vision and woke up in the hospital. I'm fine."

"That's good to hear. I guess." Derek paused. He was glad to see the strange man – Stiles – again, but. "How does that work?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. My bots apparently have a mind of their own when it comes to wherever here is."

"Bots?" 

It wasn't fair how adorably confused Derek looked.

"Yeah, the nanobots everyone gets when they're born." 

"I don't have anything like that."

"Sure you do. Everyone does."

"I don't."

Stiles concentrated on making a connection with Derek's bots and once made, his bots reacted with the equivalent of a full body shiver. Derek jumped slightly.

"What the hell was that?"

"That was me making a connection with the bots you say you don't have," Stiles said smugly.

Derek was flabbergasted. This Stiles guy had to be wrong. He couldn't have something as important as nanobots inside him without knowing about it. Did Peter and Alan have them as well? Why didn't they tell him?

"Hey, are you okay? Did you really not know?"

Dazed, Derek focused on Stiles. 

"Okay. We're sitting down now."

Stiles took Derek by the arm and walked him over to the tree stump. He wasn't sure that was the best place for sitting, but he really didn't fancy sitting on the ground and he wasn't sure he'd be able to get Derek standing again if they did. Bots or no bots, Derek looked very sturdy.

"Why wouldn't my uncles tell me?"

"There are some people who don't like the idea of the bots. Thinks it takes away our humanity or freedom of choice or something like that. Though how anyone who's read any history at all thinks humans are humane is beyond me. I mean, the Humane Society is about being good to animals, not people. Again, I mean, there are human rights groups and councils and whatever, but they don't seem super effective if you ask me. Are your uncles like that?"

"Inhumane?"

Stiles rolled his eyes. "No, against technology. Well, bots specifically, maybe not against all technology."

Derek thought for a minute. "We have a radio we use most of the time. We have a TV too, but the reception is spotty this far out from town, but that's it."

"Wow, actually Luddites. Never thought I'd live to see the day."

"What's a Luddite?"

"Someone who thinks we're better off without technology. Though from what I've read, they tend to be pretty selective about what technology they do without."

"Oh. Why are you here again?"

Stiles ducked his head, hoping Derek didn't see the embarrassed look on his face. He really didn't want to tell Derek he was dreaming about him because he'd fallen asleep thinking about him. 

Though on second thought, it didn't seem as though it were just a dream. If it were, Derek would have known about bots and that he had them. Maybe the bots were the reason they were meeting again like this.

"I'd been thinking about you when I fell asleep. But I don't think this is just a dream. I think the bots have brought us together."

"Why?"

"I don't know, but whatever the reason, I'd like to get to know you better. You seem like a good guy and another friend is never a bad idea. So, what are your feelings on the Mets?"

"Dodgers are better."

"I guess a new friend is a bad idea. Where are we anyway? I know it's a dream forest, but it seems a lot like the one near your house."

"Beacon Hills Preserve. My family used to own the Preserve, but now it's just me and my Uncle Peter and we've given a lot of the land to the county. Mostly it's just a few acres around the house where my Uncle Alan has his farm."

"What's that like? Living out in the middle of nowhere with your uncles."

"It's alright. I love the preserve, being so close to nature, but I really want to travel and see what the world's like outside of Beacon Hills."

"Where's the first place you want to go?"

"Start with San Fransokyo and see where it goes from there."

"Well, I'll be happy to show you around when you get there. My family would love to have you stay with us while you're there."

"You speak for all of them."

"Yeah, Mom and Dad like having the house full. My sister Laura and I still live with them and they have weekly dinners for pretty much everyone we know."

"What's your sister Laura like? I could hear her the other night. Why?"

"Damned if I know. Laura's the best, but do not tell her I said that. She'd never let me live it down."

"Why would you want to?"

"It's a sibling thing, I think. Anyway, she's a police officer like our dad. She likes the people aspect of helping people. She's great at volleyball, hates lacrosse with a passion which sucks because Scott and I were on the lacrosse team in high school, though knowing her that's why she hates it. I was on the bench more than I was on the field and our coach is a unique human being. Oh, and she's adopted. Her birth parents were killed in a car accident and she didn't have any other family."

Stiles stopped, finally realizing why Hale sounded so familiar. And probably why Derek was able to hear Laura the other night. 

"So, what are your uncles like?"

They talked until even the dream sky was starting to lighten.

*~*~*~

Later that night, he found himself up against an even more powerful storm than the one he'd faced alone. He was glad to have Scott and Allison with him. He hated that they were in harm's way, but he also knew that together they could handle anything.

"Is everyone in place?" Lydia's voice came through their connection.

One by one they answered in the affirmative. They were ready to get on with the fight.

And fight they did. Of course, it turned out not to be as simple as they thought it was going to be. Despite being in what Lydia had determined were the optimal positions, they were having trouble getting their attack coordinated. Just when it seemed like they were ready, the storm would concentrate on one or the other of them. The two not under attack would start drawing on their energy and the energy surrounding them, trying to pull enough to direct it back at the storm and free their friend while also disrupting the storm.

One thing in their favor was the lack of rain. And the team's stubbornness. Never underestimate stubbornness.  
"Fuck it! We need to get rid of this now! Scott, Allison, do the best you can on three," Stiles shouted even though it wasn't necessary. "One! Two! Three!"

The energy they pulled at first came mostly from themselves and it was difficult to direct it at first, but soon it started to build. They were even able to pull some energy from the storm itself and even better they were able to focus that energy more precisely, so they were all hitting the same spot at the same time. 

"You guys are doing it. Just concentrate and push really hard. That should get rid of it for good."

At this point in the fight, the team were in sync to such a degree they all rolled their eyes at the same time at Lydia's encouragement. She meant well, and they did need to know how effective their attack was, but they didn't need, or want, cheerleading.

But they drew as much power as they could from the storm and redirected back at the center. Stiles felt the burning and crackling sensation crawling over his skin again. He didn't want to pass out again, but he knew he couldn't pull back either. He used his bots to communicate with Scott and Allison to keep going, to push through until it was over. 

And again, just when Stiles thought his skin would crack and shatter, it was over. There was a shockingly loud crack of thunder, a flash of lightning, and Stiles was knocked on his ass again. 

He was fine with that. He was just glad he wasn't unconscious again. He was tired of seeing Derek in his dreams or whatever.

*~*~*~

After sleeping the better part of the next two days, Stiles was ready to bounce off the walls. Before he'd gone into full hibernation mode, he knew his dad and Melissa were going to Beacon Hills. Before summoning the wild hunt, Stiles talked to his mom and dad and told them what he thought about Derek and Laura. Claudia and Melissa had pulled hospital records and agreed there was a good chance Stiles was right.

They had talked to Laura about it. At first, Stiles thought it might be better to talk with Derek and his uncles first and then let her know, but the more they discussed it, the more they realized they couldn't hide something that important from her.

She'd only just turned five when the accident happened, so she remembered her parents, remembered Mommy's tummy getting bigger, but she didn't remember the accident, didn't remember or hadn't known in the first place, what Mommy's tummy meant. No family had come forward to claim her and Noah and Claudia had taken her in and loved her and given her a little brother to boss around. Of course, said little brother gave as good as he got and between the two of them kept Noah and Claudia on their toes.

It was decided Noah and Melissa would go to Beacon Hills and talk to Derek and offer him the opportunity to come back to San Fransokyo and meet his sister and Stiles in person. 

Laura was nervous about meeting her brother by blood and more than a little pissed at Uncle Peter for leaving her alone. Which had been the deciding factor in Melissa going with Noah instead of Claudia. If Laura was more than a little pissed, Claudia was furious. How could anyone do that to a child, to family?

Stiles entered the kitchen, heading straight to the coffee maker. He nodded in the direction of his mom and Laura, about to ask if Dad and Melissa were back yet when the back door opened and in walked Noah, Melissa, and a very nervous looking Derek Hale.

Claudia stood. "Welcome to our home, Derek. I hear you've met my son. Please know Noah and I did our best, so please don't hold him against us."

"Mom!"

Laura's laugh rang out, a little high, a little strained, but delighted. She loved her little family of sarcastic smart asses and hoped the new addition would fit in. And stay.

"Hey, man. Good to see you," Stiles said, trying for the cool dude bro nod. Of course, being Stiles, it looked like a cross between a nod and an involuntary tick.

"Hi." Derek's voice was quieter than Stiles remembered, but he still enjoyed the sound of it. 

Laura stepped forward. "I'm Laura. I'm your sister."

"That's what Noah and Melissa said. Peter never said anything about me having a sister, but he never talked about my parents at all. He was really torn up about the accident."

Claudia looked ready to go off about Peter's ability as an uncle and a brother, but Noah gave her a stern look and a slight shake of his head. Now was not the time. It would probably never be the time with Derek.

"So torn up he forgot he had a niece?"

"He said he thought you'd died as well."

"Horseshit," said Melissa quietly. She'd taken an immediate dislike to both of Derek's uncles. She was positive Alan had taken Derek and left Laura because he hadn't known Derek had been injected with the nanobots. Laura's records showed that she didn't have them before the accident but had been injected with them at the hospital to repair the damage done to her spine. Without them, Laura would have been in a wheelchair for the rest of her life.

Everyone looked at her shocked. It wasn't like Melissa to curse. Derek didn't know that, but he did hear the dislike and contempt in her voice. He wasn't sure he disagreed with her.

Peter had been all charm when Noah and Melissa showed up at the farm. Derek could tell he wasn't happy with the company, but Peter was a charming son of a bitch when he wanted to be. It hadn't taken him long to realize that they weren't falling for it though. He'd tried to keep them from talking to Derek at all, but Alan convinced him they couldn't take that opportunity away from Derek. Once Peter realized Derek had been injected with the nanobots, he'd gone cold and shut Derek out completely.

To say Derek had been stunned to learn he had a sister was an understatement. He hadn't even known where to start with the questions and had nearly cried when Noah told him that Stiles had figured out the possibility during their last conversation. He'd known the strange young man was something special, but to give him a sister? He'd never be able to thank him enough.

"I'm sorry, Derek, but your Uncle Peter is a bigoted, technophobe asshole and we would have gotten you away from a long time ago if we'd known about you."

"Thank you. And Stiles, I don't know what to say. You've given me family. That's – just – thank you just seems so inadequate."

"Wait until you get to know her. I don't think thanks will be the word you're looking for."

"Hey, Missy, don't go poisoning my dear, sweet baby brother against me before he's had a chance to get to know me. Don't forget I have lots and lots and lots of embarrassing stories about you growing up and someone new to share them with. It will be glorious."

"I'm not too concerned. You have embarrassing stories about me, I have embarrassing stories about you. Mutually assured destruction is all I see. Scorched earth, sis, scorched earth."

Claudia stepped in. She was just thankful they hadn't mentioned a prank war yet. 

"Okay, kids, that's enough. You're giving Derek a bad impression."

"He started it."

"She started."

"Noah, remind me why we had kids again?"

"Stupidity is the only reason I can come up with. And the entertainment value. They have been good for a laugh or two over the years."

Faux outrage on their faces, Stiles and Laura prepared to gang up on their parents, but Derek cleared his throat, getting their attention.

"Is it okay if I put my things away?"

Laura pounced on him at that point like a kitten at a laser dot. "I'll show you. You'll be next door to Stiles. You could share, but I think it'll be more romantic if you have to sneak into each other's room like forbidden lovers. Hey, Stiles, will it be incest if you both share a sister?"

The matching blushes from Derek and Stiles told Laura she had plenty of teasing material and some possible matchmaking to do. She liked the idea that Derek was going to be family in more ways than one.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Hunting Season](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15214616) by [aredblush](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aredblush/pseuds/aredblush)




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